Call-register for telephones.



J. MEROKENS & A. J HERRICK. CALL REGISTER FOR TBLEPHONES. APPLICATION FILED DEG.19, 1904.

953,8QQ Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J" MERGKENS dz A. J. HERRIOK. CALL REGISTER FOR TBLEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 19, 1904. Q53 QQ4 Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

a 5 SHEETS-SHEET 24 lll J. MERCKENS & A J. HBRRIGK.

CALL REGISTER FOR TELEPHONE S. APPLICATION FILED DEC 19, 1904.

Patented Mar. 29, 1910' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. MEROKENS & A. J. HERRKGK. CALL REGISTER FOR TELEPHONES. APPLICATION FILED DEG.19, 1904:. 9,53 3@ Patented M21329, 1916*.

5 SHEETSSHEET i.

J. MEBGKENS 6; A. J. HBERIOK.

CALL REGISTER FOR TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 19, 1904.

Patented Ma1t29, 3.910.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

errant-r enrich.

JOHN MERCKENS AND ANTON J. HEBRICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO JAMES E. "ELEV- OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CALL-REGISTER FOR TELEEPHONES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Ria 29, 1910.

Application. filed December 19, 1904:. Serial No. 237,549.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,.lo1-r1-: lvlnncitnivs and ANTON J. linemen, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in thecounty of Cool: and tote of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Call-Registers for Telephones, of which the following is a specil cation.

T his invention relates to improvements in call for telephones and it has for its salient ob ects to provide a simple, reliable 'stcr provided with accessories which enables the exchange operator to compel ti a recording of a call upon the register bi oro giving the desired connection; a. in such a register means whereby may be set back by a cooperative action of the range operator and the subscriber, when for any reason the call proves ineffectual and it is desired to credit back a tally theretofore recorded to provide in such a register improved means for effecting a reading the tallies recorded thereon and transmission of the same electrically to a distant station; to provide for thus reading the register without disturbing the positions of the counters or destroying the record set up upon the register; to so construct and arrange the several features of the device that the n'iechanical power l'iecessary to actu ate the register in performing its val-ions functions is practically all furnished manually by the subscriber. while nevertheless controlled by tie exchange operator electrically; to provide various safen uardiing features which contribute to the rclialiiilitv and freedom froi'n tampering of the reg; ster; and in general to provide a simplified and improved device of the character referred to.

To the above ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and

'll'lOl'O particularly pointed out in the aplooking in the l l l l l l l l l l A one end plate to tion of the lever.

taken on line 55 of Fig. 4t with certain parts omitted; Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fin. 2 but showing the parts in changed position; Fig. 7 is a left hand end elevation of the machine as seen in Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the opposite end of the machine; Fig. 9 is an end view of the pawl controlling relay; Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view of the same taken through the body of the magnet spool; Fig. 11 is a detail side elevational view of the traveler, and Fig. 12 is a detail view of thespring contacts carried by the traveler; Fig. 12-5 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connections.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a base frame plate, 2 a top frame plate, and 3 and l, respectively, end frame plates; the latter being conveniently formed integrally with the topplate. A main shaft 5 (see Figs. fl: and 8') is mounted to extend from the other and upon this main shaft are journaled a series of counter wheels 6, 7, 8 and 9, which are interconnected in an) usual manner so as to trans for from one denomination to the next higher denomination and are also provided upon their exteriors with circumfercntially extending ribs 10 of varying length and constituting contact actuating projections whose function is to cooperate with a transmitter mechanism in efiecting a reading of the register.

The units counter (5 is provided with a duplex ratchet wheel 11 having two series of teeth 12 and 12' arranged. in staggered relation to each other and integrally or otherwise rigidly united. Upon the main shaft adjacent to the outer end of the said ratchet wheel is pivoted a tall lever 13, which. tally lever, as best seen in Figs. 2, 5 and (3. is nrovided inside of the casing with a front extension 14; and. afrar extension 15. A coil spring 16 has one end 17 connected with the tally lever and its opposite end arranged to bear against a fixed part of the casii'ig; the tension of said spring tending to hold the tall-y lever in a rearwardly inclined position, and the. top casing being slotted as indicated at 18 to permit a limited oscilla- Upon the front extension l i of the tally lever is pivotally mounted, as at 20, a Y iaped reversing pawl 19 adapted to move the ratchet wheel 11 either forwardly or rearwardly,depending upon cease;

is connected to a. suitable support, as for ex ample the strap 50. The journal of the pinion 4'1 is supported by a bracket 45.

The traveler carries a contact mechanism adapted to cooperate with the ribs 10 of the counter wheels to inalte a break in electric circuit. Describing said mechanism and re ferring to Fig. 4. 51 designates an angle lever pivoted at its angle to the transmitter block as indicated at 52 and carrying at the end of one arm a vibratory contact device 53 which. is held rigid againstoscillation beyond a. certain position in one direction by means of a. stop pin 54. A spring 55 holds the contactdevice yieldingly againstthe stop llhe opposite arm of the lever 51 extends downwardly and carries an adjustable contact. screw 50 which cooperates with a pair of spring contact strips 57 and l 58, likewise mounted upon the transmitter l block and projecting outwardlw therefrom within range of the vibrator arm of the lever 51. These contact strips 7 and 58 are insulated from each other andtend to uorinaily stand apart or in open circuit l)t)H1- tioii. ll l'tli the respective strips 57 and 58 are connected flexible conducting wires 5.) 60 which extend thence out throin h the end plate 3; it being understood that-these conductors are of sullicient length to permit movement of the traveling; back and l forth. The angle lever 51 is noru'iallx held retracted away from the contact; strips 57 and. 58 by means of a spring (31; the extent of movement; of the lever under the action of the spring being limited by the slop 2 in order to prevent the too abrupt return of the traveler under the action oi the clock spring acting upon the spiral sha'l'h-a retarding device is provided consisting of l an escapemcnt wheel 3 loosely mounted; upon the rightwhaud end of the spiral shall and carrying a spring pawl oil. which cngages a ratchet wheel ('15 last. upon said shaft adjacent to the csrapcmcnt wheel. Adjacent to the periphery oi'ihe escapeinent wheel (see Fig. 7) is pivotally mounted an cscapemeut lever (3t; carrying at its free end an adjustable weight ('1? whereby the rate of vibration oi the lever may be regulated. t In order thatthc excnange operator may l detern'iiue when the tally lever has been o'pl crated to record a tally, a humor is provided which is connected in circuit with the tclol phone line, this buzzer being of an improved and novel construction. Describing the dc1l vice, and referring to Fig. 4, 8 designates i an upstanding plate spring secured to an I insulating rip oi upon the base of the registcr and carrying at its upper end a weight 1 block TO. The strip (53 stands in vertical register with the rear extension 15 of the tally lever (see Figs. 2 and 3) and said extension is termed into a cam finger which much &

cooperates with a blade switch cam 71' upon the l'oru'ai'd stroltc of the tall lever the cam is engaged, the strip bent out of its i normal plane and released suddenly so as to impart a \ibratt'irvmotion to the weighted strip. Upon the return motion of the love! the cam linger passes on the opposite side of the cam and .a damper linger T2 carried by the extension l5 instantly arrests the vibration ol? the strip. Adjacent to one side of the strip (38 is mounted a second upstanding spring contact strip T3 which is made light and cxtrcn'icly tlcxiblc so as to retard the vibrations of the weighted st rip but slightly, and is adapted to close contact with the lati to!" as long as it continues in ln'onounccd vibi'ation.

in adjusting .(21 U\\ Tl. threaded through an insulating block T3 provides tor 1 regulating;- the distance of the strip 73 from the weighted strip U8.

7t) designates a small resistance coil or spool mounted between a.pair o't metallic] standards 1''? and it: upon the insulating strip (if The ends of the windings 01" this spool are respectively rennet-led with nietallit: hubs T9 and 80 which are in metallic couucction with the standards- [Fund 78, re-

spcctivcly. The standard 77 is electrically connected with the contact. strip 73 by means of a metallic strip til, and similarly the standard 77 is electrically connected with a binding; post 82. A similar binding post 813 is connected with the weighted spring strip 08, and a third binding post 84, is mounted upon the insulating strip for the purpose of making circuit connections, as will hereinafter appear. 3

Describing now the circuit connections which may be employed when the instrument is connected with the substn'ibcfis telephone and referring to diagrainnuilic Fig. 1 A designates as a. whole the subscribefis usual set shown diagl'aniinatically, ll so oi" a central exchange station as is necessary to understand the lUVtlltlOll, and "ti". the register; the latter bcingshown partly dia -raunnaticall and partly in mechanical 'lorin. L" and ll. dcsi nalo the h usual left and right hand main lines leading from the subscribers station to central. At the subscribers station the left hand main line is connected to binding post 82 and thence passes serially through the 5 relay or magnet 27 thence to the spring contact strip 58 which cotapcrates with contact I strip 57; the line being;- normally closed at this point. From contact strip 57 a coin doctor 85 leads to the binding post 84 and thence to the transmitter 8t? thence through the n'imary S? to the back contact which cooperates with the switch-hook 89. The

right main line is connected direct to the switch-hook.

The buzzer is connected to lit) the mam lines in bridging or shunt relation. this circuit being traced follows: From the binding post 82 a conductor J leads to and through the buzzer coil to, and thence to the. contact strip 73 where the current is normally interrupted. The, cooperating weighted strip tit is connected with binding post 83. and from the latter a conductor 92 leads to the right-main line thus completing the shunt.

At the central station the circuit couuect ions are from left main line through a resistance 92 to battery .3. and from the latter through a second resistance 9t hacl; to the right main line. The battery 93 furnishes the usual talking current. The relay '37 ot' the subscribers register is responsive only to a current which is heavier than the battery curr nt and accordingly a second source of energv is arranged to be connected in hrldged relation across the main lines at a point between the M istances J2 and 9t and the suhscribens station This source of heavier current may he the ordinary 110 volt current. and is indicated diagra1nmatically at 95 as interposed in a bridging conductor SW. one side of which is connected permanently to the main line. leads lett thence through any suitable recording or responsive device. an ordinary Morse recorder being indicated at UT. and from thence to the generator 95. The, opposite side 90' terminates in a contact 96. .l. push button 98 arranged to act upon a spring contact 99 so as to open the right main line at a back contact 100 and close the bridged line 9t: through the subscribefis set when a reading ol the register is to be taken.

The operation of thesystem is proba ly entirely obvious l'rom the t'oregoing descrip tion but may be brietly summarized as follows: Normally the traveler -'l is held retracted by the clock spring acting on the spiral shall. and in this retracted position torces the spring contacts JT and H together so as to maintain the line closed at this point. The circuit is. however. as usual. open at the switch-hook so that when the subscri er removes his receiver and thus completes the circuit the drop or other annuuciator is operated at central. When centralresponds the subscriber ashs tor the number wanted as usual. whereupon central? lind ing that the called suhscrihcns line is tree. requests the calling subscriber to register. which he does by pulling t'orward the tally lever of his register. thus throwing the bu'/.- xer into vibration and creating a line dis turhance which central hears. 'lhereupon she gives him the connection desired. Ordinarily this is the complete operation ol' tallying. llowcvet. it occasionally happens that the operator at central has given the wrong number to the subscriber. or possibly he has made a mistake in asking the number, and it is desired to credit back the tally which was recorded in thus securing the connection. Thereupon when he requests cen tral to rebate the tally, she presses the push button 98 thus throwing the heavier current through the relay 2i" momentarily and thereby reversing the position of the reversing pawl 19. i'iill f then instructs the subscriber to again operate the tally lever, and in so doing he sets hack the register one tally and again operates the buzzer, thus announcing to central that he has complied.

The operation oi taking a reading of the subscriber's register is as follows: '.l.he ere change operator calls up the subscriber, informs him that a reading is to be taken, and requests him to pull forwardly the. crank handle. which operates the traveler. its the crank-handle is turned forw'ardly the traveler is forced along' the spiral shaft and the clock-springwound tip correspondingly. As the traveler performs its outward traverse. the vibratory contact device. 53 oscillates idly. or. in other words. without moving the angle lever. because in the outward movement of the traveler the contac device is oscillated in a direction away from the. stop oil. Accordingly the main circuit while opened as soon as the traveler starts not again closed until the traveler commences to make its return movement. and in so doing engages the first oi the ribs which liappens to he in altncment with the contact device 52;. During the return each rih encountered oscillates the contact 53 and in so doing oscillates the angle lever, thus closiug the circuit at the contacts 37. 54%. This alternate opening and closing ot the circt .t operates the responsive device at central and thus transmits the reading without dc stroyingthe position ol the register.

As a further auxiliary feature of improve ment which contributes to the accurate operation of the register and prevents accidental or unpremeditated tampering with the tally-lever. we provide mechanism as follows: Referring to Fig. 1. 1.01 desi nates an oscillatory lever pivoted to the top frame plate of the machine, as indicated at 102. and having its free end formed into segmental shape and provided with two shouh ders It)? and ltH.respectively. 105 d signates an escuteheon plate mounted to slide upon the surtace oi" the top frame plate andniove with the tally-lever 12%. the latter projecting through an opening in said escutcheon plate. Said escutcheon plate is provided with two shouldersdesignated 106 and 107, respectively. the 'tirst or which is normally engaged by the shoulder 1025 of the oscil latorv lev r and the plate thus held against movement. together with the lever. The lerer is provided with a linger pin 108 working through a slot in the outer top cas tit) ing whereoy the lever may be retracted out of the path of the eseutcheon plate, agzainat the tension of a plate spring, l) which is arranged to act upon a heel projection llO formed upon the lever. A spring-prcseed detcnt U1 is pivotally mounted adjacent to the free end of the lever 101 and when the latlcr ii: retracted drops into engagement with the shoulder and thus holdafit re tractcd. hen the tally-lever is depressed the shoulder 101' elf the cscutcheou plate cugagethc heel 112 of the detent, lifts the latter out of engagement with the shoulder ltll and allows the oscillatory lQVH to be thrown into engagement with the side of the e z a1tchcon plate, and upon the return of the cacutcheon plate to its normal poaition it again lotilittl against ll'ltTflllltllll.

Whilc we have herein howu and dc cribed a practical and preferred enil'mdiment of our prc cut invention yet it will be understood that the detail thereof, and especially the circuit connections, may b modified or changed without it any wise departing from the invention. ftceor 'ngly we do not limit. oumclrcs to t'littnt details except to the extent that the arc madethc suhjcct ol apecitic claimi i'e claim as out-invention:

1.1K tally rc "Stcr for telephone calls and the like compria up; a suitable main 'trame, one or more counter member, movablz," moimtcd thercin, a manually operable tally nlcmhr-r t'or actuating said counter: and a traveling transmitter mechanirm lor ettectin a tactical reading of the counter coma ahatt, a traveler mounted upon audf ha\ ing crcw tin-radial connection with said ahal't, a wiping COlllfiCi? device carried by', mid traveler, contact projections upon the ountcr member or members adapted to coupri'lltt with aaid wiping Contact, an electric circuit controlled by said wiping contact, :ncalia for holding the traveler against rota- I prlain lion during its traversing movement and incnllfi for rotating the shalt carryi' Sttltl \rarclcr in both directions. compt i ng a handle opcratively connected with the ehatt, t'or rotating it in misdirection and a spring opp-oh the rotation of the shalt and ,4 operating to rotate it n the opposite directiuli.

2. in a tally register (it the actor described, the combination with a able main frame, of a series denon'nnatonal counters rotatably mounted therein: in axial alinenient with each other, eacl counter wheel being provideiil with contact projections, means for actuating the units counter step by step, carrying connections bctwecn the unit's counter and sit: e counter-a. and a transmitter in nisin utilitp 'iklilg' a rotatable shaft join, ed to ex tend ougside of the series; ot' counters. a I ra clcr having acrew threaded e igagcment i with said Shaft, a spring-pressed vibratory (,Oiiitltjl arm mounted upon said traveler and adapted to cooperate with said counter wheels. an electric circuit controlled by con ltttlr; actuated by said spring-pressed arm, a manually ope able handle operatirely con uectcd with Wild shalt for rotating the same, a motor spring likewiac opcrat ivcly connected with said shaft, and a retarding (levicc intcrrcared with the ahalt and operating to retard the rotation oi? the latter under the action of said spring.

i l n comhination with a telephone system or analogous electric system, a tally register comprising a counter member, means for tal ing thcrcon, and a set-back mech- Zlllifilll comprising a n'iag uet operatirely connected with the line. circuit, operative conncct'ioun between the armature ol? said magnet and a counter actuating member whereby thc counter may be set ack, and a manually operable member operatively connected with the Said uurttuchcontrolled member, for the purpoac set forth.

l. in. combination with a t m or analogona electric 5y :em, a tally reg- :r comprising a main trame, a counter wheel iournaled therein, a manually operable tallying member whereby the counter wheel may he stepped forwardly, a magnet telephone sysconnected in circuit with the main line, a

pawl arrai 'cd to act upon the counter wheel to act the alter back, operative connections hctwceu aaid pawl and the armature ot' the magnet, and operative connections between the counter engaging part of the manually operable. tally dericc and the arn'lature of Ftlltl magnet. v

5. in combination with a telephone circuit, a tally registcr comprising a main frame, a counter wheeljournaled therein, a tally lcvcr. a double arm reversing pawl opcrativelr conmcted with said lever, and a magnet connected in circuit with the telephouc linc and opcratively connected with aid pawl to ctl'cct a reversal of the same.

(3. in combination with a telephone say tcm, a tally register comprising a main t'ramc, a counter wheel journalcd therein, a tally lcver mounted adjacent to Stiltl counter wheel. a duplex ratchet connected with said ei'mntcr wheel, a double arm reversing;- pawl pivotallv mounted upon the tally lever, a mar'nct connected in circuit with a telephone lincmperativc connections between-thearma" ture of the magnct and reversing pawl, and means operating to automatically restore thc rcv'crsin g pawl to its normal forwardly act in;,;' position during a moremcut ol' the tally ievcr succeeding the sci-back movement ol' the 'llilt? and hcl'ore the counter wheel can be again actuatedthereby.

T, ln taimhination with an electric circuit, a tally l'titl'liw'ltl" comprising a counter wheel, a ratchct connected with the counter wheel, a

manually operab1e member, a pair of pavvts operatively connected with tlid manually operable member and adapted to actuate the counter Wheel in opposite directions a mapmg a reversal of the same, a detent shift: ably mounted 90 as to ed retalw'ling mevemenb, a ratchet connected. 1O wwth the counter upon vvhleh sald detent 0 net, operative connections between the armature of the magnet and sand pavvts for efieetbe capable a limit- 5 operates and coiiperative connections between suit" detent and pawls whereby the etting-back of the counter Wheel retracts the detent, and the retraction of the detent operateev to reverse the pawls back to normal. 1-

- JOHN MERCKENS. ANTON J. HEQRICK. Ti tnesses 2 ALBERT N,

GRAVES, U. E. IHETZEL. 

